[Foundation-l] They do make or break reputations

[Fred Bauder]

> If only I could be so sanguine; I cannot disagree with Fred's first
> paragraph, but as regards his second I must take issue. For a start,
> current
> events should be covered by Wikinews, and subsequent *encyclopedic"
> treatment of those events be dealt with in analytic terms and in
> retrospect,
> by Wikipedia. That is why we have two projects, and not one. As regards
> the
> stance of the British government towards the media in this case, and in
> previous cases, it's clear to me that there is a dislocation between the
> two- and in my experience, the government has long since lost the support
> of
> the media, except in most general terms, and that is why we have the term
> "spin-doctor". It's a two-way process, and not a new one, and where I am,
> I
> cannot see any way in which the division of reponsibility to the citizen
> is
> to be resolved. TBH, the relationship between politicians and the media,
> and
> both of them have their suspect agendas, is always going to be
> problematic,
> and all we should do as documenters of what happens is to perhaps stand
> back
> for a while, and when the dust has settled,
>
> WRITE A FUCKING ENCYCLOPEDIA!
>
> Why is that a problem?

Most of us have agendas, and this is the only major outlet most of us
have access to.

Fred

>
> Fred Bauder wrote:
>> Speaking of the British tabloids, of course.
>>
>> https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/10/world/europe/10britain.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=globasasa2
>>
>> The lesson for us is to not take a leading position, be topical, but
>> to report events which have occurred and on which there is some sort
>> of considered opinion and a set of known facts, even if it takes a
>> day or two for them to develop. In the case of these tabloids its
>> going to take months.
>>
>> The power of topical media is two-edged, seemingly exceedingly
>> powerful, king-makers, but, as anyone familiar with our limited
>> resources knows, quite weak if under serious attack, as is being
>> shown in the case of the principals involved in this crisis. The
>> British government is sick of kowtowing to them and seems to have
>> just been waiting for an opportunity.
>>
>> Fred
>>
>>
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>
>